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Domain name script

The script of the second level domain name must match the script of the TLD extension (.eu, .ею). In other words, if anyone registers abc, they get abc.eu (with the Latin TLD extension). If the domain name being registered is in Cyrillic script, the script at the top-level will be .ею.

A registrar wishing to register an exclusively numeric domain name - possibly including hyphens - should specify the TLD extension. In the case that the extension is not specified, the .eu (Latin string) extension will be allocated by default.

Homoglyph bundling

The homoglyph bundling rules for domain names registered in Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek follow the IDNA 2008 protocol and our homoglyph bundling rules, taking into account the extension. As the Cyrillic extension cannot be confused with the Latin or Greek extensions, EURid assumes that domain names with the Cyrillic extension can never be confused with those in the Latin or Greek extension.

The homoglyph bundling algorithm takes the Cyrillic legacy domain names into account. This means that as long as legacy domain names exist, homoglyph bundling will not take the extension into account to determine if a domain name is in the same homoglyph bundle as another domain name (see below for more information).

Domain name script and legacy from the current domain names database

As of 1 June 2016 EURid has fully enforced the basic rule that the second level script must match the top-level script, in order to eliminate any possible confusion. Please note that .eu domain names registered in Greek script are managed under the .eu rules. Regarding the original domain names registered in Cyrillic under .eu, EURid has:

Informed all registrars and registrants of the changes;

Introduced a ‘script adjustment’ phase, to allow registrars and registrants to adopt domain name(s) where the top-level domain script matches the second level domain script. The ‘new’ domain names under the Cyrillic extension have an initial term of three years free of charge until 31 May 2019. The switch ('cloning') was made under EURid’s supervision during the maintenance window when .ею went live on 1June 2016. All Cyrillic domain names were 'cloned', a process whereby the Latin extension was replaced with the Cyrillic extension, and all linked contacts were copied. Name server information and DNS key information were not copied, as this information depends on the DNS setup of the registrar.

Consequently, EURid activated all Cyrillic domain names that had been cloned from .eu to .ею. The original and cloned domain names now co-exist till 31 May 2019, and are maintained by the registrar independently of one another. During the script adjustment phase, registrars do not have to pay for cloned domain names. A 'cloned' domain name – meaning a Cyrillic domain recreated to be identical in terms of registrant and registrar data, but now with the Cyrillic extension – behaves as would any other domain name. Thus registrars can put the 'cloned' domain name into quarantine. The domain name will then be released after 40 days if not reactivated or transferred out of quarantine. All the special statuses such as seized, withdrawn, on hold, etc., also work. With that being said, a new domain name cannot be re-registered as long as the 'original' – otherwise known as legacy – Cyrillic domain name under the .eu extension still exists, as homoglyph bundling does not take the extension into account until the respective legacy domain name has been deleted. At the end of the three-year term, all legacy domain names will be deleted by EURid unless the registrar or registrant has already done this beforehand.

When the registrar deletes the original Cyrillic domain name under the .eu extension, it cannot be registered again, as it would break the 'no script mixing' rule.

For example: юю.eu is cloned into юю.ею. Subsequently, the registrar deletes юю.ею. The domain goes into quarantine, and 40 days later it is released. This domain cannot be registered by anybody as long as юю.eu exists. Should юю.eu also be deleted, and thus enter into quarantine, then only юю.ею can be registered.ю.eu can no longer be registered as it breaks the 'no script mixing' rule).

Specific cases:

Domain names in the Cyrillic script that were in quarantine at the launch of .ею were neither cloned nor activated under the new extension. If the domain name was reactivated, the registrar had to have contacted EURid for cloning.

Active domain names in the Cyrillic script that belonged to a terminated registrar account that had a future delete date corresponding to the end of their term were neither cloned nor activated under the new extension.

At the launch of .ею, 'on hold' domain names in the Cyrillic script were cloned, but the 'on hold' status remained in place for these newly cloned domains.

At the launch of .ею, 'quarantine on hold' domain names in the Cyrillic script were not cloned.

At the launch of .ею, 'withdrawn' domain names in the Cyrillic script were not cloned.

At the launch of .ею, 'suspended' domain names in the Cyrillic script were not cloned.

At the launch of .ею, 'seized' domain names in the Cyrillic script were not cloned.

At the launch of .ею, 'numerical' domain names were not cloned.

Since the launch of .ею, 'reserved and blocked' domain names in the Cyrillic script have been using the .ею extension.

At the launch of .ею, 'numerical' domain names marked as reserved, such as 112.eu, were not cloned.

DAS and WHOIS

When undertaking a DAS request, the whole domain name is taken into account, including the extension. When no extension is provided by the user, it will be added by the system according to the rule outlined above; the script of the domain name defines the extension and purely numerical domain names receive a .eu extension by default. The DAS output only has three different possible values: NOT ALLOWED, NOT AVAILABLE and AVAILABLE.

A domain name that violates the 'no script mixing rule' (e.g. abcd.ею) always returns a NOT ALLOWED value, as this name cannot be registered under any circumstances.

For a WHOIS request, the same rule is applied in order to add the extension if it is missing. The textual WHOIS (port 43) will keep its minimal output and refer to the web-based WHOIS for more detailed information.

Lastly, the web-based WHOIS allows the user to provide a specific extension for a domain name, or leave it up to the system to define the extension (again using the same rules as described above). However, the web-based WHOIS always shows the domain names that are in the same homoglyph bundle. You can find more information about these domain names by simply clicking on them.